New Year's Eve with friends: splitting the costs

To split New Year’s Eve costs, separate the house rental, food and alcohol, then divide each cost among the people sharing it. Before the party, agree on contributions from guests who arrive late or do not stay overnight. Work out repayments by comparing what each person paid with their share.

Split the house rental, food and alcohol

Before December 31, agree on three expense categories in the group. The house is split among those who sleep there. Food is split among everyone who eats. Alcohol and champagne are split among those who drink. A friend who does not drink does not pay for the bottles, and a friend who goes home at 2 a.m. does not pay for the night.

Agree on contributions from late arrivals too: a friend who shows up at 11 p.m. usually eats dessert and leftovers, and shares the food like everyone else. If another rule feels fairer, say so before the party. For more on splitting with and without alcohol, see how to split a bill without the drinks.

Example: eight guests, six staying overnight

In this hypothetical example, eight friends celebrate New Year’s Eve in a house rented for the night. Six sleep there: Léa, Tom, Inès, Sam, Hugo and Maya. Nora and Paul only come for the evening. Sam and Nora do not drink alcohol.

• House: $600, paid by Léa, split among the six who sleep there, so $100 each.
• Food: $240, paid by Tom, split among all eight, so $30 each.
• Alcohol and champagne: $180, paid by Inès, split among the six who drink, so $30 each.

Léa, Tom, Inès, Hugo and Maya each have a $160 share. Sam’s share is $130 because he stays overnight but does not drink. Paul drinks but does not stay, so his share is $60. Nora’s is $30. Total: 5 × 160 + 130 + 60 + 30 = $1,020, exactly 600 + 240 + 180.

Who pays back whom

Compare what each person paid with their share. Léa paid $600 for a $160 share: she is owed $440. Tom paid $240: he is owed $80. Inès paid $180: she is owed $20. Hugo and Maya owe $160 each, Sam $130, Paul $60 and Nora $30.

One way to settle: Hugo and Maya each send $160 to Léa and Sam sends her $120, which makes $440. Sam sends his remaining $10 to Tom, Paul sends him $60 and Nora $10, which makes $80. Nora sends her remaining $20 to Inès. Every balance is back to zero.

Should evening guests chip in for the house?

The house was rented for the party as much as for sleeping. Some groups therefore ask evening guests for a small contribution. With a flat $30 each from Nora and Paul, the remaining house cost is $540, or $90 per sleeper.

The shares then become $150 for Léa, Tom, Inès, Hugo and Maya, $120 for Sam, $90 for Paul and $60 for Nora. The total stays $1,020. Choose the rule before the party and write it down for the group.

Noise, breakage and cleaning

Rules on party noise depend on the country and city. In France, Service Public says excessive noise can lead to a fine of up to €450, day or night, if it is too frequent, lasts too long or is too loud. It advises letting the neighbors know beforehand. In a rented house, also read the house rules: some ban parties.

If a glass breaks or cleaning is charged, record it as a separate expense and decide who shares it. A deduction from the security deposit works the same way; see how to split a withheld deposit.

Keep the accounts in one place

In Spliz, the group adds the house, the food and the drinks as three expenses, chooses who shares each one and sees everyone’s balance, for free. Friends install the app to join the group as guests without creating an account. The app does not move money: repayments happen by bank transfer, in cash or with another app, and are then recorded in the group.

Spliz

Sources

• Service Public (France), neighborhood noise caused by abnormal behavior (in French)
• Spliz